Corn-harvesting machine.



G. W. & 0. HENDERSON. 001m HARVESTING MAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11,1918.

11,103,766. Patented July 14, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 1.

Attorneys,

' G. w. & 0. HENDERSON. CORN HARVESTING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY'll, 1913. 1, 1 03,766. Patented July 14, 1914;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fig; AV

&

Witnesses I Q? i nventors, by

' Attorneys.

e. W. & 0. HENDERSON. CORN HARVESTING MACHINE. -APPLIOTION FILED JULYII, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Witnesses Inventors,

Attorneys.

UNITED srnrns PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE W. HENDERSON AND OLEN HENDERSON, OF RIDGE FARM, ILLINOIS.

- CORN-HARVESTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14., 1914.

Application filed July 11, 1913. Serial No. 778,623.

Y the county of Vermilion, State of Illinois,

have invented a newand useful Corn-Harvesting Machlne, of WlllCllthG following is a specificatlon.

This invention relates to machines for gathering and husking corn, one of its ob ects being to provide a machine of this character whlch 1s provlded with improved means for removing the ears from the stalks without danger of dropping the ears upon the ground before they are husked.

A further object is to provide improved means for properly holding'the stalks relative to the snapping mechanism while the ears are being removed.

A further object is to provide improved means for feeding the ears to the huskmg rolls.

Another object is to provide a machine of this character which can be adjusted quickly so as to act upon stalks of difi'erentheights.

Another object is to provide a machine of 1 this character which is light and durable in construction and easy to manipulate. 1 With the foregoing and other ob ects 1n view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing'from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:-Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine with the stripping or snapping mechanism removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a section on line A-B Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a section on line CD Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on line EF Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a section on line G-I-I Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the main frame of the structure, the same being divided by a longi- 3 mounted in one side of the frame 1 and in the beam 2 so as to be supported by themain supporting and drivewheel 4:.

W. IIENDER- The main frame 1 has a side extension 5 spaced from one side of the frame 1 except at the back thereof so as thus to form a stalk receiving passage 6. The extension frame may be suitably braced relative to the frame 1 in any suitable manner, as by means ,of one or more arches 7 In the present instance one of these arches has been shown, the same being inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the front portion of frame 1 and its extension 5 and projecting over the 'gpassage 6 near the rear portion thereof. An axle 8 is secured in the extension frame directly opposite the axle 3 and is supported by a wheel 9.

Adraft tongue 10 is pivotally connected, as at 11, to a bracket 12 extending forwardly from one side portion of the frame 1 and this tongue may be mounted, at any desired point, upon a truck 13 of any suitable construction. An arm 1 1 extends rearwardly from the tongue and is fixedly connected thereto, this arm being connected, by a link 15, to an arm 16 extending from the lower end of an adjusting lever 17 mounted upon a platform 18 which is supported along the outer side of frame 1. The drivers'seat 19 is'supported above the platform 18 at a point adjacent lever 17. Any suitable means may be providedfor locking the lever in any position to which it may be adjusted.

Obviously, by swinging lever 17 the arm 1 1 y can be raised or lowered and, as the tongue 10 is pivotally connected to the bracket 12 extending forwardly from frame'l, it will be seen that this swinging of arm 14 will result in raising or lowering the front end portion of the frame 1.

' A sprocket 20 rotates with the drive wheel 4 and transmits motion, through a chain 21, to a sprocket 22 loosely mounted on a drive shaft 23 which is journaled upon and extends transversely of the rear portion of frame 1 and its side extension 5, this shaft being extended across the passage 6 close to the back end of the passage. That portion of the shaft 23 within the passage is pro vided with toothed means 24 constitutingbeaters whereby the stalks, when brought into contact with. the blades, are driven downwardly toward the ground, thus to permit the machine to pass readily over them.

A suitable clutch 25 is carried by shaft 23 and by means thereof the sprocket 22 can be coupled to or uncoupled from the shaft 23. Thus it will be seen that by manipulating this clutch, the machine can be propelled over the ground without causing the actuation ofthe mechanism hereinafter described, or, when desired, the rotation of the wheel 4 will result in the actuation of said mechanism.

A counter shaft 26 is journaled upon the rear end portion of frame 1 and its extension 5 and has a gear 27 which receives motiomthrough: a gear 28, from the drive shaft 23. This counter shaft 26 is provided with oppositely disposed beveled gears 29 meshing with beveled gears 30 secured to necks 31 extending rearwardly from husking rolls 32. These husking rolls are mounted in the frame 1 between the passage 6 and the beam 2 and the front ends of said ,husking rolls 32 are provided with gears 33 meshing with corresponding gears 34 secured to the frontends of additional huskingrolls 35. These husking rolls are journaled-in slidable boxes 36, there being springs 37ginterposed between the boxes 4 so as thus to press the rolls 35 against the adjacent rolls 32. Thus the bushing rolls are arranged'in two pairs, the rolls of each pair rotating in opposite directions so as to cooperate and gripthe husks and force them downwardly between the rolls inthe-usual manner. I

Suitably supported above' the space between the. husking rolls 35 is a spreading strip 37 in theform of. a plurality of wedges placed I end to end so that. substantially toothed side edges are thus provided. A

pitman 38 is pivotally connected, as at-89,

to. the spreading strip 37 and is also coning above shaft :23 and provided with a sprocket 42. This sprocket receives motion, through a chain 43, from another sprocket 44rsecured to the-counter shaft 26. Ob-

viously, when shaft 41 is rotated, the spread 1ngstrip 87 will be reciprocated' in the guides provided therefor. One of these guides has been illustrated at 45 in Figs. 5

and 6. Obviously it is preferred to have a- 'erly guided during its reciprocation.

. Extending transversely of the machineat the rear of main frame 1 is an endless elevator 46 preferably supported within a structure made up of a lower stationary section 47 and an upper hinged section 48, said upper section being adapted to fold laterall 'and downwardly onto the lower: section 47 when the elevator is notin use. This endless elevator is adapted to receive motion through a sprocket 49 secured to the shaft nected. to the crank40 of a shaft 41 extend gear 54 meshing with another gear 55 so cured to the counter shaft 26. Thus duly rected into the lower end portionof the.

section 47 where they will be engaged and elevated by the conveyer or elevator 46.,

Extension frames 5.6 extend forwardly from the frames 1 and 5 atropposite sides of. the passage 6 and the front end portions of these extension frames 56 diverge "for-1 wardly and terminate, in dividers 57. -An

upstanding shaft 58 is journaled at the rear. endof the extension frame ,56 projecting from frame land has a bevel gear 59avhich meshes wlth a gear GO-securedtoa transverse shaft 6l. Th1s shaft receives motion through a sprocket 62, chain 63 and sprocket" 64, from the drive shaft 23; Av sprocket 65 rotates with shaft 58 and gear 59 and drives a gathering chain 66, said chain being extended around guiding sprockets 67 whereby one'flight of thechainis extended along the inner side of the extension frame 56 and up to the divider 57. The

chain has outstanding fingers 68 for engaging the stalks and gathering them into the passage extens on 69 formed between the extension frames 56. a

An upstanding shaft 70 is s'upported by the extension frame 56 located in front of; the frame 5 and mounted upon thelower portion of this shaft 70is a gear 71 which receives motion, through agearr 72, from L shaft 73. A sprocket 74is secured tothis shaft and 1s engaged by a chain 75 which, in turn, receives motion from. a sprocket '7 6 secured to theshaft 23. A sprocket 77ro-j tateswlth the gear 71 and engages a gath-Q 1 ering chain'7 8 similar to: the chain 66 and which is extended around the guidesprock-fi ets 79 carried by the extension frame 56.

Thus the gathering chain. is brought close to the outer divider 57. This, gathering chain'ha s fingers 80 extending horizontally therefrom. .Ohviously by providing the gathering chains described and by providing the described mechanism for actuating them,

the two gathering chains i'vi'll be simultanei ously actuated in opposite directions so that those flights thereof extending along the sides of the passage extension 69, will be moved rearwardly toward the; passa e" .6 during the forward movement .of the machine, thus cotiperating to gather the stalks into the passage 6- A verticalsh'aft 81 is supported y the rear portion of the frame 5 and-close to the passage '6 and receives motion, through'gears 82 and 83 from the drive shaft 23. This'vertical shaft 81 drives anven'dless'apron84 .50 another pulley 93.

the stem 97.

naoaaee such as shown in Fig. 2,,the said slats, which have been indicated fat 85, being attached to chains 86, these-ohains engaging sprockets 87 securedlto the shaft 81. The endless 5 apron extends around a shaft 81 andmay be supported and. guided at its lower edge by any suitable means provided for that purpose. The inner flight of this apron 841 is extended along the adjacent side of the passage (5.

Connected to the upstanding shaft 58 by means of a universal oint .88 is a vertical shaft 89 which is parallel with shaft 70 and located directly opposite thereto, the pas- ,5 sage extension 69 being extended-between the two shafts. Secured to the shaft 89 are collars 90 constituting supports for qelongated bail-like frames 91 adaptedto swinghorizontally upon the shaft 89 without,h ow- 2o ever, interfering with the rotation of theshaft. These frames extendobliquely across the passage 6 so thatthev apron S41 and the frames will converge rearwardly. The lowermost frame 91 is shorter than the next upon the remote end of each frame 91 is upon each pair of pulleys and has cleats 95 extending transversely thereof. Eachframe 91 has a laterally pro ecting U-shapedextension 96 from which pro ects asteni 97. 3,5 This stem has a collar 98 constituting abutment for a spring 99 vwhich is coiled! about the stem, the other end of the spring 1 in, which nearing against a guide plate 100 the stem is slidably .mounted. Thus the is of by a rod 102 extending slidably throughthe arch 7 and having ahead 103 at its upper v 5Q end bearing downwardly on a cushioning spring 104. Extending obliquely across the inner vertical side of the apron 8 1 is a stationary kn fe 105 arranged along the front inclined edge of a deflecting board 106, this} board overhanging the adjacent husking roll 32.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that when the machine is propelled forward if the sprocket 22 is cou-- pled-to shaft 23, motion will be transmitted from wheel lto the drive shaft 28 and thus distributed to the several shafts constituting the mechanism of the machine. For example shaft 26 will drive the husking rolls 6 in the mannerhereinbefore described and A belt 94 is mounted pressed i the shaft-sj5Sand ITO-will be driven by the mechanisms provided therefor. Asthe inner flight of the apron 84 travels rearwardly and as those flights of the belts 94: nearest apron 81 likewise travel rearwardly, it will be apparent that as the standing stalks are gathered into the-passage 6 by the chains 06 and 78', they will pass betweenthe belts and the apron. Thus the belts will ress the stalks tightly against the apron and as the machine continues to move forward the stalks will gradually be positioned between the apron and the blade 105. i The. said blade will thus snap the ears off of the stalks and said ears will be deflected by the board 106 onto the rolls Y32 and 35 and upon the; strip 37. Asthis-strip is continually reciprocating during the operation of the machine it will be seen that the toothed sides of the strip willoperate to spread the ears laterally so as to deposit them upon the two pairs of Ehusking rolls 32 and .35 thus preventing iany of theears frombecoming'lodged in the space between the rolls 35. husked by the rolls and will thengravitate downwardly into the section 17 of the ele- The ears will be vator from which they will be conveyed upwardlyaan d discharged by the elevator 16. After the stalks have, been stripped of the ears, they will come against the beating bladesQsl and thus be driven downwardly sothat the machine will pass readily over them. The blade 105 is fixedly mounted as. he'reinbefore described but any suitable means can be provided for adjusting it toward or from the apron soas to adapt the a machine for, use. in connection with stalks 0f different thicknesses.

What isclaimed is,:,

1. A corn harvesting machine including gathering devices forming a stalk receiving '{space therebetween, an endless apron ar ranged vertically and extending rearwardly at one side of said space, the activetlight of the apron being movable rearwardly, and a snapping blade extending upwardly adjalcent and cooperating with the active face of ,the apron, said blade being fixed, and means for actuating the apron,

2. A corn harvesting machine including gathering devices forming a stalk receiving space therebetween, an endless apron arranged vertically back of said space, the ac tive flight of the apron being movable rearwardly, an. upwardly and-rearwardly inclined snapping blade extending close to and coacting with the active face of the apron, and means for deflecting ears laterally from the blade- 3. A corn harvester including gatheriiug; devices, a snapping apron having its active flight normally vertical and movable rearwardly from the gathering devices, an up wardly and rearwardly inclined snapping blade adjacent to and cooperating with the active face of the apron, andyielding means for pressing stalks agamst the apron in advance'of the blade. I

4. A corn harvester-including gathering devices, a snapping apron having its active flightnormally vertical and movable rearflight normally'verticaland movable rearwardly from thegatheringdevices, an up-.

. wardly andrearwardly inclined snapping bladeadjacent to and cooperating with the active face of the apron, endless means for engaging stalks and holding them against the apron in advance of the blade, and

means for simultaneously moving rear-l wardly the adjacent flights of'the, apron andsaid endless stalk engaging means. 6. A corn harvester includinggathering devices forming a stalk receivlng space therebetween, oppositely moving gathering chains carried by the respective devices for directing stalks into said space, a vertical snapping apron extending rearwardly from the gathering, devices, the active flight of the apron being movable-.5rearwardly from said devices, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined snapping blade 'adjacent'to and cooperating with the active flig tof the apron, and means for actuating the apron.

7. A corn harvester including gathering devices forming a stalk receiving space therebetwecn, oppositely movinggathering chains carried by the respective devices for directing stalks into said space, a vertical snapping apron extending rearwardly from the gathering devices, the active flight of the apron being movable rearwardly from said devices, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined snapping blade adjacent to andcooperating with the active flight of the apron, and means foractuating the apron,

SttlCl apron. consisting of spaced parallel slats, and flexible connections between the slats. 1

8. A corn harvester including a snapping apron having vertical slats movable rearwardly, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined snapping blade cooperating with'the rearwardly moving flight of the apron, means for directing standing stalks into the space between the apron and the blade, and means for actuating the apron.

9. A corn harvester including a vertical snapping apron, means for actuating the apron to move the active flight thereof rearwardly, a fixed snapping blade coacting with the active flight of the apron, said blade lying in a plane parallel with the active horizontally, and means for for propelling the apron to'move'its active flight rearwardly, ofa snapping blade extending across theactive flight of the apron and cooperating therewith, elongated means in advance of the blade and inclined rearwardly toward the active flight of the apron Ifor engagingstalks, and means for pressing sai'd stalk engaging means'yieldingly toward the apron. v f ll. A corn harvester including a vertical snapping apron, mean for actuating the same, a snapping blade fixedly mounted and extendingacross, the active flight of the apron, means for directing stalks while in theirstanding'positions into thespace be ;tween the apron-andjbladc, said means iii-- cluding an endlessbelt mounted to swing pressing the {belt yieldingly toward theapronr 12, A corn harvester including a vertical snapping; apron, means "for actuating the same, a' snapping blade fixedly mounted and extending across the active-flight '01 the v apron, means fordirecting stalks while in theirstanding positions iuto'the space between the apron"and-'blade','said means ineluding an endles belt "mounted to swing f horizontally, means for pressing the belt *yieldinglytoward the apron, and means for actuating thebeltto propel the active flight flight of the apron, -13. A "orn harvester including a verticalsnapping apron, means for actuatingflthe same, a stationary snapping blade extending across the active flight of the apron and co operating therewith, means for directing standing stalks into the space between the blade and apron, husking rolls, and means for deflecting the detached ears'irom the blade and onto the rolls.

14. A; corn harvester including a vertical snapping apron, meansrto'r actuating the same, a stationary snapping blade extending across the active flight ofthe apron and cooperating therewith, means for directing standing stalks into the space between the blade and apron, husking rolls, means for deflecting the detached ears from the blade and onto the rolls, and an elevatorfor receiving ears from the husking rolls. r

15. A corn harvester including a vertical snapping apron, means for actuating the same, a stationary snapping blade extending across the active flight of the apron and 00- operating therewith, means for directing standingstalks into the space'between the blade and apron, husking rolls, means'for deflecting the detached ears from the blade thereof in thesame direction as the active and onto the rolls, and ear spreading means movably mounted above the husking rolls.

16. A corn husker including a vertical snapping apron, a snapping blade extending upwardly and rearWardly across the active flight of the apron, means for directing standing stalks into the space between the blade and apron, and a revoluble beater beloW and back of said space.

17. A corn harvester including a structure having a stalk receiving passage, a vertical snapping apron at one side of the passage, means for actuating the apron, an upwardly and rearvvardly inclined snapping blade fixedly mounted above the passage and cooperating With the acfive flight of the apron, and a revoluble stalk beater mounted Within the passage and back of the blade.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our oWn, We have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE W. HENDERSON. OLEN HENDERSON. Witnesses:

MILO LARRANCE, EVERETT 0. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addrelslng the Gommhsioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

